Packing up Finn's belongings hadn't been too arduous a task at all. In fact, if it hadn't been for Finn's insistence on taking at least three breaks out of the apartment per day, to show him his old neighbourhood, and Seth suspected, show him off to everyone, they would have been finished and home again by Wednesday evening.
Not that Seth was complaining about their little quasi-vacation. This time alone with his mate, getting to know him without their families around was something to be treasured. It was almost like the matings of old, when a newly matched pair would be sequestered away for the duration of the omega's heat, their union officially marked by a public bonding ceremony once it had passed.
Almost, but not quite. Instead Seth had been fussed over by so many new people, all clearly delighted to see that Finn had met his mate at last. Congratulations and hugs were showered on them both, lunch at the local diner acquired a comped dessert, checks for coffee were waved away and he was exhorted to 'look after this one' on more than one occasion. Invited to dinner by Finn's old boss Dr Moody, Seth was instantly charmed by the old school manners of the elderly gentleman, extracting a promise from him before they parted that he and his mate would come to their bonding ceremony.
The affection that so many people had for his mate served only to highlight one thing to Seth, one thing that he had already suspected; he'd struck lucky with Finn.
Of course being escorted around the neighbourhood by his besotted mate hadn't been the only distraction. To put it bluntly, Seth had never been so thoroughly fucked in his life. So thoroughly or so often.
So thoroughly and so often that he started to worry a little about why.
A hurried and only slightly panicked call to Dean on Tuesday afternoon when Finn had run out to fetch coffee after their third knotting of the day put his mind at ease.
"Seth, you are an idiot. Are you really stressing about too much sex?"
"No...yes...sort of...I just don't get how?"
"Well, when two people love each other very mu..."
"Shut up Dean! You know what I meant. It's not a heat, it can't possibly be, but we shouldn't be able to do it so many times in a day. I mean, I probably shouldn't be able to walk by now."
"Quit trying to make me jealous. There's nothing wrong with you Sethie, peri-estrus is perfectly normal, doesn't happen for everyone, but it's still normal."
"Peri what?"
"Mini heat, moron. Thank god one of us paid attention in health class..."
Seth could practically hear Dean rolling his eyes.
"Strong alpha and omega mate matches can trigger a mini heat and rut if the omega isn't already in heat. It's supposed to help cement the match by hiking up the chance of a bond baby, but you're on birth control so that's not going to happen, so just chill out and enjoy the ride...ride..get it?"
"You're an ass...but thanks."
"And you're an idiot, but you're welcome. Enjoy all the sex! Love you!"
Reassured by Dean, Seth allowed himself to relax and take full advantage of the mini heat while it lasted. Very full advantage.
'Ok guys, that's the last box."
Hideo set down his load before wiping his hands on his jeans and accepting the bottle of water Seth offered him.
"Thanks again. You sure you won't stay for food, it'll just be takeout, but it's the least we can do."
"I need to get back to my girls, but thanks anyway, and thanks for taking on that loser. You're far too good for him."
"What did you just say?"
Finn reappeared from leaving the last of his suitcases in the spare bedroom.
"I said that Seth's too good for you and he's doing a public service taking you on."
"Ah, ok. Can't argue with that. You heading on now? I'll see you out."
Hideo hugged Seth and made his way to the door, calling his goodbyes to the rest of the assembled party, who now became the focus of Seth's attention.
After closing the store for the night, Dean and Paige had hung around, waiting on Seth's return. Officially to help with unloading the Finn's car and the van Hideo had driven down and back, though Dean had ended up taking more a of supervisory role due to his bump while Paige interspersed manual labour with interrogation, getting a chance at last to unleash on Finn all the questions she'd be sitting on for almost a week.
Roman had turned up after work too, helping to make short work of the task and leaving Seth feeling immensely grateful that both he and his mate had such willing friends.
"What about you guys? You staying?"
"We should be getting along too, let you two settle in."
Roman's tone and the look he flashed his omega and his sister-in-law made it clear that it wasn't a decision that was open to negotiation.
"Oh, ok. Paige, are you still good to cover for me tomorrow? Finn and I need to get his stuff unpacked."
"Sure thing Sethie, you 'unpack' to your heart's content." She sniggered, making air quotes around unpack.
Finn came bounding up the final few stairs and into the living room.
"Right then! Who's for pizza?"
"Just us."
"Yeah, we're going to head off now too. C'mon Paige, help me up. See you tomorrow sometime."
Dean flapped at his sister for help, waddling across the room as Roman and Paige gathered their jackets, the trio making their way out of the door, and just like that, Seth and Finn were alone.
Alone in an apartment that currently looked more like a rummage sale than someplace someone lived and that still looked more like Seth's than theirs, but nonetheless in their home, about to start their together lives.
Finn crossed to the couch, letting out a loud satisfied sigh as he flung himself down, a sigh quickly followed by an equally loud 'oof' as Seth tossed his jacket at him, catching him square in the stomach.
"Come on, let's go out."
"But...pizza?"
"We can get pizza, I just don't want to sit staring at these boxes, I'll only want to get them unpacked."
"Fair enough, time I was getting to know the neighbourhood anyway."
He sat upright and started to push himself off the couch.
"Wait! Don't move! I can't believe I almost forgot."
Finn settled himself back down as Seth scurried across to the kitchen, grabbed something unseen from the countertop and returned with it still hidden in his closed fist. Beaming brightly, he nodded at his alpha until he held out his hand, dropping a set of keys into his outstretched palm.
"Street door, front door, connecting door to the store...welcome home alpha of mine."
Bending down, he gave his mate a chaste peck on the lips, then stepped smartly back before the other man had a chance to pull him into a closer embrace.
"No! No way! We start kissing, then it'll be making out, then shirts come off and next thing we're naked and tied together and still hungry. Food first."
"Yes dear, whatever you say."
The comment earned him a playful punch to the arm. Rising to his feet, Finn pocketed his new set of keys and taking Seth's hand gestured towards the door with his free arm.
"Lead the way hot stuff!"
Smiling at the thought of a chance to be the one showing his mate off, Seth did just that and very soon they were seated beside each other at a not overly private booth in his favourite Italian place waiting on their food. He was staring at his mate, drinking in the sight of him as he looked round the restaurant, full of people on a busy Friday evening.
"I can feel you staring you know..."
Finn turned the full beam of his sparkling blue eyes on his omega.
"...look at you there. Grinning like the cat that got the cream."
"Aw now honey, I know you're pale...that's just the Irish in you, but I wouldn't say you're cream...maybe a light apricot..."
"Hey! Keep that up and there'll be no more Irish in you tonight."
"Dream on Paddy, like you could resist all this."
"I'm not the one with the self control issue in this bond. You're the one who can't keep his hands to himself. I see the way you look at me...undressing me with your eyes...shameless, hot stuff. That what you are..."
The alpha wrapped his arms across his body in a parody of modesty, the twinkle in his eyes and the smirk at the corner of his mouth betraying his amusement. Seth buried his face in his mate's shoulder, taking a deep breath of his now familiar scent, and mumbling through a faceful of shirt.
"Oh my god. You are such a dork."
"Yep. I thought we covered this."
Finn planted a kiss on the top of his omega's head.
"And the best part is, you get to keep me forever! Oh hey...food's arrived...looks good."
Realising just how hungry they were, both men devoured their appetisers in companionable silence, conversation slowly returning over pizza, and finally turning to the more sensible topic of the visit on Sunday of Finn's parents by the time they were enjoying dessert.
"Seth, darlin', Mam and Dad will adore you. How could they not?"
"They might not approve of me working, owning my own business, they might not like the apartment...what if it's too small...we need to unpack tomorrow and clean...it has to be spotless. What if they don't like what I cook Finn? THEY MIGHT HATE MY COOKING..."
"Relax hot stuff. It's going to be fine. They won't hate your cooking. Trust me on that...and before you start they won't hate any of the rest either. They will love you. Just be warned...you think your Daddy is bad, he's got nothing on my Mam when it comes to grandkids. She's been engaged in a super grandma war with the other omegas in Dad's department since Emer had the twins."
Seth laughed with his mate, hoping that volume would mask the hollowness. Mention of children had touched on a little niggling nerve. This wasn't the place to be dwelling on it though. Pushing it back as he had done for the past few days, he took a sip of his drink, the action giving him the moment he needed to gather himself.
If Finn noticed anything out of the ordinary he hid it well.
"Gotta say Seth, this place was a good call, though I think your cannoli looks like it might be nicer than my tiramisu..."
He stretched across the table to steal a forkful.
"Hey! Back off."
A vigorous battle of silverware ensued, each man winning a skirmish, but the final victory going to Seth as he swooped in and claimed Finn's last mouthful straight from his fork.
"Mmm, tasty...I can't believe how much we ate."
Finn looked round the table at the evidence of their feast.
"Well we have done a lot of hard...work these past few days. Gives a person an appetite."
"Yes...work."
"Maybe we should go home and work a bit more."
"That sounds like a fabulous idea, oh alpha of mine."
After a brief debate about who would pay, both insisting that they would foot the bill, Seth ultimately winning since it was his idea to go out instead of order in, they settled up and made the short walk home. The sense of absolute satisfaction that washed over Seth as his mate reached into his pocket, drew out his keys and unlocked their front door was unexpected in its intensity.
In deference to the lateness of the hour, they made their way directly to the bedroom. Sleep however was the farthest thing from their minds.
Hands reached out for bodies and mouths sought each other out with a hunger not sated by their meal. Finn tumbled backwards onto the bed, pulling his omega down with him and cushioning his fall. The scent of mate, of arousal bloomed in the air as Seth freed his alpha from the confines of his shirt, licking a path down his sculpted torso towards the growing tent in his pants.
A treacherous tiny little part of his brain was determined to spoil his fun, watering the little seed of worry that had been laying dormant since dinner.
Even though his hands were busy working to free Finn's dick, his mind was wandering elsewhere. If this was the mini heat driving his libido, what would the real thing be like? If he went through the real thing, that would mean that they were trying for a baby...but...what if…
He only realised that his hands had stilled when Finn's concerned voice broke through his thoughts. Gentle hands closed over his own, lifting them away from the alpha's crotch and he found himself drawn up into a careful hug, both men sitting against the pillows.
"Seth...is everything ok? What is it?"
"N...nothing...I'm just being dumb..."
"Talk to me, it's not dumb if it's upset you. Is it something I said? Is it this? Oh god, please don't think I'm some sex crazed alpha who only wants you for a baby machine. We don't have to fuck every minute we have spare."
So close to his alpha, there was no way that Seth could hide the shiver that ran through him at that statement.
"Oh god, it is that...Seth darlin'...I am so sorry...please, please don't ever think that you can't say no. Do you want me to sleep in the other room? If you need space, it's ok…"
Seth wrapped his arms closely round his mate.
"It's not the sex! It's just…"
He fell silent again, unable to put the words together.
"Hey, hot stuff...just spit it out. I meant what I said earlier. You've already got me forever, whatever you say won't change that."
Seth took a deep breath and then let go, the words tumbling out in a quiet stream.
"...what if I can't have kids...I might be like Daddy...they wanted more and none came...and now they're getting excited about grandbabies...and your mom will expect grandkids...and what if I'm not right inside, Finn...what if I can't…"
"Oh darlin'...ssh. Look at me. I love you. If it's me and you and no one else forever, that's ok by me. We'll be the most awesome uncles our nephews and nieces have. If a little someone of our own comes along to join us, not going to lie, that would be amazing, we would be awesome parents. If a little someone who needs a loving home comes along and we want to adopt, guess what, that would be fantastic too, but whatever is in our future we'll deal with it together. Just like bonded mates should."
Finn's words were full of sincerity, silencing the little niggle for now, three shining through brighter than the rest.
Seth curled in closer to his alpha, allowing their mingled scents to wrap around them both like a cocoon, disturbing the intimate peace of the moment with a few sincere words of his own.
"I love you too."